Walking doll construction



Aug. 29, 1939. E. TORNGREN WALKING DOLL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 12,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IdeJ To? z I 'z, 353

/// IILV \b 3 i 7 a B Aug. 29, 1939.

E. TORNGREN 2,171,281

WALKING DOLL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 12, 1-938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALKING DOLLCONSTRUCTION Edel- Torngren, Grand Rapids,Mich.

Application September 12, 1938, Serial No. 229,457

10 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to walking dolls generally and isspecifically directed to means for causing in opposite directionssimultaneous movements of the legs and to provide means whereby the dollmay assume a sitting position.

There have been numerous constructions in the past for the expresspurpose of causing the legs of a doll to move in opposite directionssimultaneously. There have also been constructions directed specificallyto allow the .doll to assume a sitting position, but so far as I havebeen able to ascertain the combination of the two movements have notbeen satisfactorily placed in a single construction which will allow aquick and economical method of assembling.

My invention consists in the novel arrangement of parts whereby thestructure may be assembled quickly and economically and has for itsprincipal object to provide a novel mechanism which will move one of thelegs rearwardly as the other is moved forwardly.

Another object is to provide means in addition to the walking structurewhereby a forward motion of both of the legs will allow the doll toassume a sitting position.

A still further object is to provide a structure which will perform theaforementioned acts and which does not necessitate numerous orcomplicated parts, and therefore provides a structure which may beeasily and quickly assembled, thus lowering greatly the cost ofmanufacturing. Other objects of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

- To the accomplishments of the foregoing and related ends saidinvention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and following description set forth in detailcertain means and one mode for carrying out my invention, said meansconstituting, however, but one of several ways in which the principle ofmy invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like:parts throughout the various views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through 50 the central portionof the structure, taken substantially on the plane of line ll in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary part sectional side elevational'view of theapparatus taken substantial- 1y on the plane of the line indicated bythe numerals 2-2 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the leg supporting block.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of one ofthe legs as viewed from the inner side thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing one of the legs asit appears when the doll is in a sitting position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary part sectional part elevational view takensubstantially on the plane of line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary part sectional and part elevational view of oneof the legs turned to a right-angle position from the body.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and more especially toFigs. 1 and 2, the vdoll is composed of a body portion l within which isrigidly secured thereto or, preferably, molded inintegrally therewith, aleg supporting member 2 which extends downwardly below the lower portionof the body. Below the body portion and through the leg supportingmember 2 is an opening through which is passed a small tube 3. On eachside of the member 2 is located a plate 4 which also has an openingtherein adapted to set over the tube 3 thereby allowing each of theplates to be pivotally mounted on the supporting member 2.

Each of the legs 5 and 6 has integral therewith and in the upper portionthereof a solid member or block indicated in the respective legs by thenumerals 'l and 8. Although these blocks are constructed in a slightlydifferent manner with regard to the opening therethrough, it is to be.understood that it makes no difference on which side of the body eitherof the blocks is placed. That is to say, each of the blocks 1 and 8 hasin it an elongated passage 9 having a shoulder I0, but in one of theblocks is an additional passage H at right angles to the passage 9, andwhether the block 8 having this additional opening I l therein is placedon the right or left side of the doll makes no difference as far as theoperation and construction is concerned and it is within the purview ofmy invention to reverse these parts without in any way departing fromthe spirit thereof. The larger portion of the openings 9 up to theshoulders II] are adapted to receive the outer ends of the tube 3thereby allowing a pivotal movement on the supporting member of the legs5 and 6.

Each of the legs on the inner sides of the blocks 1 and 8 thereof isprovided with a groove 12 as shown in Fig. 4. The plates 4 are of suchsize and shape as to set snugly within the groove l2. The shape and sizeof these plates 4 will be more clearly seen upon viewing Fig. 3.

Each of the plates 4 extends upwardly to a point above the top of thesupporting member 2. Screw hooks or eyes l3 are situated at the frontand back portions of the supporting member 2. A cord M is passed throughthese hooks and is secured to the plates 4 as at l5 so that a movementin one direction of the upper en dof one of the plates 4 will causesimultaneous movement in the opposite direction of the other plate 4 asthese plates pivot about the tube 3. It is conceivable that eyes may beused instead of the hooks as shown, but I prefer to use the hooksbecause of the ease with which they permit assembling this particularmechanism. 'Also, I do not wish to be limited to the use of two of thesehooks because it is entirely possible to use a greater number, however,I prefer to use only two because of the reduction in cost as well as thelessening of friction on the cord.

Atthis particular point in the assembling of the doll and after the legsare in place and the plates 4 are in their respective grooves If, itwill be obvious that a simulation of Walking will be accomplished whenthe doll is placed on a surface and one leg is caused to move eitherrearwardly or forwardly, because upon one leg receiving this motion, theother leg will be moved in the opposite direction due to the novelarrangement at the top of the legsupporting member above described andclearly shown in Fig. 3.

In order that both legs may be moved forwardly simultaneously I haveprovided the members 4 with curved or beveled edges [6. I also prefer tobevel the longitudinal edges of the grooves l2 as shown at I! althoughthe beveling of both the plates and the grooves are not abso- .lutelynecessary. Because of this curvature or beveling it will be seen that ifboth legs are moved forwardly at the same time a resistance between theplates and the legs will be effected and a sufficient force willdisengage the plates from the grooves thereby allowing the legs to movefreely Without effecting any movement of the plates 4. After both legshave been freed from the plates in this manner they may be movedforwardly until a sitting position of the doll is effected.

It is also conceivable, and is intended to be within the scope of myinvention, that with sub stantially the same structure, only one of thelegs need be disengaged from the plates to effect a sitting position,since, when one leg is free to move independent of the other, the otherwill also be free to move likewise.

In order to hold the legs and plates against the supporting member, anelastic cord I8 is pro vided as more clearly shown in Fig. 1, whichextends through the openings 9 in the legs, the tube 3 and the openingII. The cord is maintained in this position and in a stretched conditionby the pins i9 and 20. The stretched condition of the cord I8 tends tohold the legs, and

. consequently the plates, against the sides of the supporting member 2.

With this construction the various parts of the doll may be assembledeasily and quickly as will be noted from the following. 'In assemblingthe doll one of the pieces or plates 4 will be placed against thesupporting member and over the tube 3. The cord I4 is then secured tothe upper part of the plate and passed through one of the eyes or hooks13. The opposite end of the cord or string I 4 is then passed throughthe other hook l3. The other plate 4 is then placed on the opposite sideof the supporting member in a similar manner and the two loose ends ofthe cord l4 are then secured to the upper end of the second plate. Inassembling the legs, the steel pin I9 is first placed through the cord[8 near one end thereof. The pin and cord are then both inserted in theopening in the leg 5 and pushed forwardly therethrough. When the pin haspassed, entirely through the opening it is then released and assumes aposition as shown in Fig. l at right angles to the cord thus preventingits removal. The other end of the cord i8 is then passed through thetube 3 and through the passages 9 and H of the other leg 6, which willpull the leg 5 into position as the other end of the cord 18 isstretched. The leg 6 is then placed against the opposite side of thesupporting member 2 and over the other end of the tube 3 and the cord I8is stretched a considerable amount; at this time the pin 20 is insertedthrough the opening in the block 8 provided for that purpose. This thenmaintains the elastic cord in a stretched position and insures thekeeping of the legs and plates against the supporting member.

After the doll has been completely assembled as above described and theplates 4 have been inserted in their respective grooves [2, the walkingaction may take place as above described by moving one of the legseither forwardly or rearwardly. When it is desired to have the dollassume a sitting position, both legs are moved forwardly and thismovement exerts a sufficient force between the beveled edges 56 of theplates and the beveled edges ll of the grooves as to allow the legs tobe moved outwardly free of the plates as clearly shown in Fig. '7. Whenit is desired to resume the walking posture, the legs need only bereturned to their normal position and they will snap! back into place onthe plates Ll because of the action of the elastic cord 58.

From the foregoing it will therefore be seen that I have constructed awalking doll which may also assume a sitting position by novelarrangement of parts so that not only the actions of the doll are easilyefiected but also the parts are very simple and few in number so that itmay be assembled not only quickly and easily but economically as well.

A modification of the means disclosed for oppositely moving therespective legs has been conceived which consists of eliminating thescrew eye 13 in the forward part of the body and passing the cord i4through the rear screw eye only, said cord having its respective endsfastened to the respective ends of the plate 4. This modification doesnot cause a positive rearward movement of the feet of the doll but whenone foot is moved rearwardly the cord will cause the other foot to moveforwardly.

Other modes of carrying out the principle of my invention may be usedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided, however, the means stated by any of thefollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A walking doll comprising a body portion, a leg supporting memberrigidly secured thereto, a pair of legs pivotally mounted on saidmember, elements extending upwardly from said legs and adapted to movetherewith, screw-eyes located in said leg supporting member and acontinuous cord passing through said eyes and secured to said elements,whereby a forward movement of one leg will effect a rearward movement ofthe other leg.

2. A walking doll comprising a body portion, a leg supporting member, apair of legs pivotally mounted thereon, means detachably engaged withsaid legs to effect a movement thereof simultaneously in oppositedirections, said means adapted to be disengaged from said legs to allowa sitting position of the doll by moving both legs forwardly.

3. The combination of elements as defined in claim 2, said meansincluding a pair of plates pivotally mounted on said supporting memberadapted to fit in slots in said legs.

4. A doll comprising a body portion, a leg supporting means, a pair oflegs pivotally mounted on said supporting means, means for yieldablyholding said legs against said supporting means, a groove located on theinner surface of each leg, a plate adapted to fit into each of saidgrooves, and means connecting said plates whereby a forward movement ofone leg will effect a rearward movement of the other.

5. The combination of elements as defined in claim 4, said plates beinglongitudinally beveled to slip out of said grooves upon a forwardmovement of both legs to eifect a sitting position of the doll.

6. The combination of elements as defined in claim 4, said last namedmeans including screweyes in said leg supporting means and a continuouscord slidable through said eyes and secured to said plates.

'7. A doll comprising a body portion, a leg supporting member, a plateon each side of said member, a leg adjacent each plate, a solid elementhaving an opening therethrough secured within each leg, a horizontallydisposed tube extending through said supporting member, said plates andsaid solid elements whereby said legs and plates Will be pivotallymounted on the supporting member, an elastic member extending throughsaid tube and the openings in said solid elements, means holding saidelastic member in a stretched condition to yieldably hold said legsagainst said supporting member, means connecting said plates to effectsimultaneous and a1- ternate movements of said legs, slots in said solidelements in which the plates are adapted to fit, said plates beingdisengageable from said slots to allow both legs to move forwardly toeffect a sitting position of the doll.

8. The elements in combination defined in claim '7, the means connectingsaid plates including screw-eyes in the supporting member and a cordpassing therethrough and secured to each of said plates.

9. The combination of elements as defined in claim 2, said meansincluding slots in said legs and plates pivotally mounted on saidsupporting member, said plates being beveled at their longitudinal edgesand adapted to fit in said slots, whereby a slight force exerted on thelegs will allow the plates to slip out of said grooves.

10. A doll comprising a body portion, a leg supporting member, a pair oflegs pivotally mounted thereon, members extending upwardly from and inengagement with said legs, means connecting said members to efiectsimultaneous alternate movements of said legs, one of said membersadapted to be disengaged from one of said legs whereby both legs can bemoved forwardly to effect a sitting position.

EDEL TORNGREN.

